The Beaverton Budget Committee unanimously approved a $183 million city budget, including a $64 million tax-supported general fund, on Thursday, May 29.

The budget maintains the current tax rate of $4.38 per $1,000 assessed property value, but ups water utility fees by about $1.80 per month on an average homeowner's bill. Additional rate increases for sewer and stormwater have been determined by Clean Water Services.

Ramona Crocker, a Beaverton resident of 24 years who is no stranger to confronting city leaders, told the committee that she worries about senior citizens like herself being priced out of their homes thanks to taxes and fees. She was particularly concerned about the increase in water rates, and also urged city officials to consider tax relief options and resources for seniors.

Crocker said she feels the city's visioning process comes with hefty pricetags for various projects, and that citizens never heard the cost when they submitted their ideas for a better Beaverton several years ago.

"I am genuinely concerned and confounded that from the get-go with the visioning process, it's been nothing but a wish list," she said. "And everything since then has been predicated on this wish list."

While the city plans new projects, she said citizens are doing things like conserving water to save money, and the city negates that by upping fees.

Councilor Betty Bode said the unfortunate reality of conserving water and "going green" is that rates have to be increased to pay for maintaining the infrastructure of water pipes and pumps.

"I think it's not clear to all the citizens that with these silos of city money, we can't take from this bag and put it in that one," she said, noting that water infrastructure is maintained by water fees.

The budget will go before the Beaverton City Council for additional public comment and review on June 17 before the council votes on finalizing the document.